Dateline' to feature Macomb comic book murder case

One of Macomb County’s most storied murder cases will be subject of a two-hour NBC-TV “Dateline” episode tonight, Friday, Jan. 25. The case of Michael George, dubbed the “comic book murder,” will be shown 9-11 p.m. It features developments in the case since Dateline broadcast a two-hour episode in 2008. The new show was supposed to run last July but was pre-empted by the Aurora, Colo., shooting coverage.

George, 52, is serving life in prison without parole after his second first-degree murder conviction in 2011 for the 1990 shooting death of Barbara, 32, inside the couple’s Clinton Township store. It was revealed George was having an affair with store employee Renee Kotula, now Renee George.

The case remained cold for 16 years until Clinton Township police and county Prosecutor Eric Smith, whose late father was the township police chief at the time of the murder, reopened the investigation. A key witness’s testimony had been overlooked.

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George was convicted of first-degree murder in 2008 on highly circumstantial evidence. The conviction was overturned by trial Macomb Judge James Biernat Sr., who was upheld by higher courts. George was convicted again by a Macomb jury in the second trial.